Why Max Verstappen’s Spa penalty gives him a key advantage over Lando Norris in F1 title battle

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Having to take an extra engine in Formula 1 is often seen as more of a hindrance, than an advantage, especially during a fight for the championship.

However, Max Verstappen’s Belgian Grand Prix engine swap, which resulted in a ten-place grid penalty and worse result in the race with fourth, may now play into his hands.

Some excellent damage limitation from the Dutchman helped him to finish ahead of title rival Lando Norris at Spa, as he extended his gap at the top by two points.

But, McLaren‘s recent upgrades have seen them pull clear of Red Bull and increased the threat that they pose to the Austrian outfit in both championships.

Why Max Verstappen holds a big advantage over Lando Norris

Although Verstappen’s performance at Spa wasn’t quite akin to his 2022 showing, where he charged from 14th place on the grid to win comfortably, it was still enough for the time being.

What will worry the reigning champion the most, is that he has failed to take a race victory in any of the last five grands prix.

READ MORE: Helmut Marko names the only two drivers who could get ‘near’ Max Verstappen in the same car

It’s pretty clear now, that McLaren hold a clear car advantage around most circuits, but Verstappen does have one counter-punch move.

The extra engine he took at Spa will allow him to push more, and use more power during both qualifying and any remaining races.

Red Bull won’t stress any of his engines to the extent that they will blow up in spectacular fashion, but they will have more attacking modes to pursue Norris with.

Where can Red Bull take advantage of their engine superiority?

There are a few great opportunities remaining where Red Bull’s enhanced engine capacities should pay dividends for them.

The upcoming Italian Grand Prix stands out with its long straights, and also marks an opportunity to earn a statement win after Norris dominated Verstappen’s home grand prix.

Azerbaijan and Las Vegas are also notable tracks with particularly strenuous straights and heavy engine stresses.

READ MORE: Formula 1 fans left stunned by ‘ghastly’ announcement Ferrari have just made before Monza

A 70 point gap and nine races to overturn it means that the odds are against Norris for the title, but all the while his McLaren car keeps improving, it’s bringing his teammate Oscar Piastri into the fold even more.

If the Aussie can get in between Norris and Verstappen, it could force Red Bull to do something with Sergio Perez, and might even force the Dutchman to be more aggressive in his quest for a fourth straight championship.